Waiting for you
by MattWilson83
Summary: A festival approaches, and Naruto needs a date.


Waiting for you.

The festival was prepared for that night, and the village was abuzz with noise and excitement for the next few nights, the celebration of the Hokage's birthday was going to be big, and even Tsunade herself was excited, and was keeping her true age as secret as ANBU identities.

Naruto had been helping out with the set up of a few stalls, since he had completed his training for the day.  
He was on his way to see Sakura, to ask her out to the festival, when he ran into her and Lee.  
The young man in green spandex was bowing before her, holding out some roses, and Sakura was blushing, with a smile.  
"Please, Sakura-chan, I would be honoured if I could escort you to the festival." Lee said.  
Sakura smiled as she thought about it for a few moments. "Well... I... I guess so." She finally replied.  
"Sakura? I... I was..." Naruto said, as Sakura accepted the roses.  
Sakura and Lee looked to Naruto.  
"N-Naruto?!" Sakura gasped, surprised to see him. "I'm sorry... but he asked me first."  
Naruto sighed.  
Sakura walked up and put her hand on his shoulder, comforting her friend.  
"I'm sure there are plenty of other girls who would want to go out with you." Sakura smiled, "You're not unpopular like in the academy."  
Sakura suddenly covered her mouth, realising what she said.  
Naruto just chuckled though. "I guess so." He said.

And so the search began, but... no one caught his eye.  
As he ate at Ichiraku's he looked down, not eating his food with the enthusiasm Teuchi was used to seeing in his favourite customer.  
"What's up?" he asked, "The festival is in a few hours, why so sad?"

"I've got no one to go with." Naruto replied, gloomily.

"Oh..." Was all Teuchi could say. "Isn't there anyone else you want to go with?"

"Not really." Naruto answered. "I looked around, but... I don't know, no one caught my eye."

"Not really? Then... there is someone?" Teuchi pointed out.

"Well... there is... but she wouldn't want to go with me." Naruto said.

"Why not?"

"Because she's... well... "

"What?"

"Out of my league ok." Naruto pouted.  
Teuchi blinked, then chuckled. "What do you mean? I'm sure there's not a girl out there is out of your league."

"But... she's well... noble, and I barely survive off of my ninja wages." Naruto said.

"Noble?! Who is she?"

"H-Hyuuga... H-Hinata." Naruto blushed.

"Oh?!" Teuchi grinned. "You like her?"

"Well... I've kind of liked her since the Chuunin exams a few years ago, she really impressed me." Naruto sighed, "But I knew there was no way she would want to go out with me. Heck... I couldn't even get Sakura to go out with me."

"Well... have you even asked her?" Teuchi asked.

"Well... no." Naruto blinked.

"Maybe you should ask her what she wants."  
Naruto blinked, and began to think about it. He never had asked her, and she was always kind to him, the times she was awake that was. And it wasn't long before a smile appeared on his face.  
"Why not?" he grinned, "Thanks old man." He added as he jumped off of his stool and ran off.

It was getting dark, and the festival was just beginning as the lights began to come on.  
Naruto was running around, and even though there were people in kimonos, Naruto was still in his normal clothes, yet to get changed.  
He ran to the Yamanaka flower shop and bought some flowers, hoping it would make a good impression as he asked her, just as he had seen Lee do.  
He moved quickly through the streets, and soon bumped in to Neji and Tenten.  
"S-sorry." Naruto said, a little breathless.  
Neji just gave him a glare.  
"What's the rush?" Tenten asked.

"I'm looking for Hinata." Naruto replied.

"Why?" Neji asked, looking at him curiously, and the flowers.

"I wanted to ask her to the festival." Naruto smiled. "She... she's not going with anyone... is she?" He sounded a little hopeful that she wasn't.

"Well she..." Neji said, before Tenten interrupted.

"Nom she's not." Tenten said, getting a confused look from Tenten, "She was going to follow, if you head towards the Hyuuga compound, I'm sure you'll see her."

"Thanks." Naruto smiled as he began to head away.  
Once he was out of earshot, Neji turned to Tenten, who just smiled.  
"Oh come on... don't be so protective. You know she likes him." Tenten smiled.  
Neji sighed, and nodded, so the couple just headed into the main festival.  
After a few moments, they looked up. Dark clouds were coming closer.  
"Oh no." Tenten sighed, "I hope it doesn't rain."

But as Naruto moved, it did. He first noticed as a drop hit the back of his neck, then another, and before he knew it, there was a downpour, and he was getting wet.  
His pace slowed, as he became more drenched, and his face dropped.  
"Fate hates me." He mumbled to himself. He looked at the flowers in his hands. "I can't ask her all wet!" Naruto sighed heavily. "What is it? CAN'T I JUST CATCH ONE BREAK, JUST ONCE?" he shouted out, angrily.

"Naruto-Kun?!" came a soft voice.  
Naruto looked down, and saw someone dressed in a lilac kimono, and carrying a long poled wagasa umbrella.  
He blinked, wondering who it was, but as he tried to move, the young woman just moved it to hide her face.  
"Umm... Do I know you?" he asked, confused.

"U-umm... w-well... i-it's me... H-Hinata." She stuttered.

"H-Hinata?!" Naruto blinked, then smiled "Why are you hiding? Lift the umbrella a little."  
Hinata was trembling a little, nervous, but did as he said, revealing her blushing face to him.  
"That's better." Naruto smiled, making Hinata's blush even more.  
"W-why were you shouting?" Hinata suddenly asked.  
Naruto looked down, and sighed.  
"Because fate is playing a joke on me" Naruto mumbled.  
Hinata wasn't sure what that meant, until she saw the flowers.  
"Oh... are you... meeting someone?" she asked.

"I... guess you could say I was hoping to run into a certain someone." Naruto said.

"Oh... well... I won't get in your way." She then said, looking down.

"You're not." Naruto smiled small. "I was waiting for you."  
Hinata looked up, in surprised.  
"Y-you were?" she asked, feeling all nervous.

"Y-yeah." Naruto said, looking at her shyly.  
The two just stood there in silence, looking at each other, as the rain continued to fall all around them, Naruto dripping, his hair flattened.  
Hinata giggle a little.  
"What?" Naruto blinked.  
Hinata moved over to him and ruffled his hair. "I l-like it spiky." She muttered, in a quiet shy tone, and a small smile. Hinata had suddenly felt a little more confident, he had been on his way to see her, with flowers. And that made her very happy.  
Naruto smiled too at her words. "You... really like my hair spiky?" he asked.  
Hinata nodded, glancing away with a smile.  
Naruto blushed, she looked cute doing that. He then realised he still hadn't offered Hinata the flowers and held them out to her.  
"H-Hinata." He said, nervously. "W-would you... g-go out with me to the festival?"  
As he asked though he remembered the rain, and sighed. "I guess... if the festival is still on."  
Hinata smiled, and shyly accepted the flowers.  
"Well, it doesn't m-matter." She blushed. "We can always go somewhere else." Hinata looked down, unable to believe she just said that.  
Naruto just smiled though. "That's... true."  
He moved closer, and held out his hand.  
Hinata looked up to him and smiled. She could not believe her luck, and was almost unsure if she was dreaming or not.  
She even pinched her cheek, which made Naruto blink.  
Hinata just gave out a nervous laugh, and then took his hand. Naruto smiled and soon the two walked away together.  
Hinata though looked at Hinata, and began to worry a little.  
"M-maybe you should change into something dry first." She said, nervously.  
Naruto looked down at himself, and smiled. "Yeah."

Naruto led Hinata to his small apartment, Hinata looked around as Naruto removed his jacket, and then found some dry clothes.  
"I'll be right back." He said as he headed to the bathroom to get changed.

Hinata nodded as he disappeared.  
She looked around his apartment; it was surprisingly tidy, apart from a few clothes, and some scrolls spread around.  
His kitchen and bedroom were all one room, and the only corridor was quite short, and only two rooms came off of them; one obviously being the bathroom.

She looked over his shelves, and noticed pictures of him and his friends, even one of her with him, from when they were both on a mission together.  
She blushed a little with a smile.

"Ok." Naruto's voice came. Hinata turned and saw him dressed smartly, and with a smile.  
Hinata blushed, and cutely stood with a smile.  
"Y-you look nice." She said, blushing in a deeper red.  
Naruto smiled and held out his hand, which Hinata took "Let's go." He said, taking her by the hand.

They walked under Hinata's umbrella together, hand-in hand, and Naruto smiled, he liked Hinata somewhat for a long time, but never let it enter into his mind that she would ever accept him since she was from a respected clan and him... some penniless orphan and reputed troublemaker.  
But here she was... walking with him, holding his hand, smiling at him, and he at her.

*I've waited for you for so long.* Hinata thought to herself. *I've waited for this day, the day you and I held hands, the day we walked together with happy smiles on our faces, happy to be next to the other.*  
"This is the day I've waited for." She said as he leant her head against his shoulder.

"Really?" Naruto asked with a smile.  
Hinata jumped, "O-oh..." she stuttered, realising she spoke aloud. But soon smiled and nodded. "Yes. I've... I've liked you for a long time."

"You have?!" Naruto said, before smiling. "I'm... glad." He said simply.

"Y-You are?!" Hinata blinked with a new blush across her cheeks.

Naruto nodded as he stopped. "You know... I hope you don't think me bad, or that I'm rushing things but... I want to do this." He said as he drew closer to Hinata.

*H-He's going to... K-k-k-kiss me?!* She thought as his lips got closer. *Don't faint... Don't faint... Don't faint... Don't faint...* she chanted in her mind as she closed her eyes.  
Her mind went blank as she felt his lips pressed against hers.

All she could now understand was Naruto, kissing her, holding her close to him. Her hand holding the umbrella slowly dropped down, letting the rain fall over them.

Naruto too felt strange, he had only meant to kiss her for a moment, but he found himself unable to pull away, and his heart was racing faster, so fast he felt he would have a heart attack.  
But in the end he had to, for lack of air.  
They looked at each other for a moment, rain had soaked their hair, and their shoulders, but they didn't care, and just smiled at each other, their eyes transfixed on the others for what seemed like forever.  
But forever it only seemed, as they were soon, once again walking, arm in arm this time, the umbrella over their heads, happily walking to their first date, and from what they felt, not their last.


End file.
